Switch-controlling apparatus.



No. 719,055. I PATENTED JAN. 27, 1903. 0. W. &, J. B. SQUIRES. SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1902.

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No. 719,055. PATENTED JAN. 27, 1903.

C. W. & J. B. SQUIRES.

SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1902. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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CHARLES W. SQUIRES AND JAMES B. SQUIRES, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SWlTCH CONTROLLlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,055, dated January 2'7, 1903.

Application filed July 2,1902. Serial No. 114,090. (No model.)

To rtZZ whom it nuty concern;

Be it known that we, CHARLES W. SQUIRES and JAMES B. S UIREs, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to improvements in electric-current-controlling mechanism available in switch-operating mechanism for railways of the character described in our Letters Patent of the United States, dated April 17, 1900, No. 647,637, and February 6, 1900, No. 642,932, in which electromagnetic devices are combined with the railway switch-tongue and with a normally open circuit, comprising a feed-conductor, such as a trolley-wire, and switching devices in the wire connections forming part of said circuit, so that the circuit may be closed to bring either of two sets of conductors into active electrical connection between the feed-wire and the electromagnetic switching'tongue-operating devices for the purpose of throwing the switch-tongue in either direction as required to open or close it and in which apparatus are comprised provisions whereby the motor-current from the trolley-wire through the car and its controller may be made use of for operating the switch for the aforementioned circuit-conductors.

A prominent characteristic of the aforementioned controlling and operating mechanism which is novel with us consists in the direct utilization, after the current-controlling switch has been properly set through means of government therefor on the car, of the feed-current from the trolley-wire for its highly efficient use as the agent for operating the railway switch-tongue. lhis class of apparatus differs in this respect from some apparatuses which have heretofore been proposed, wherein the current which operated the switch-tongue was one which necessarily passed through the controller of the car and through the motor thereof, and finally to the electromagnetic switch-tonguepperating mechanism.

A principal object of the present improvement is to provide controlling devices for the circuit connections of and for the switchtongue operating electromagnetic device, whereby as the car approaches the switch the switch-tongue may be set by the mechanism and may be held by the current direct, still maintained from the trolley-wire during a certain desired interval which will be sufficient to permit the car to fully pass the switch-tongue, so that there can be no liability between the time the switch-tongue is set or between the time the forward wheel passes the tongue and the arrival of the rear wheel of the car thereover of the switchtongue becoming displaced in any degree whereby an accident might occur, as by the forward wheel, for instance, taking a branch track and the rear Wheel running onto the main track, or vice versa.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the controlling mechanism which comprises the switch in the controller for the circuit connections pertaining to the switchtongue-operatin g electromagnetic device that such controller-switch may be operated with quick succession for reversing the position of the switch-tongue of the railway and so as to obviate any improper results which might accrue from the presence of dirt or some insulatin g foreign materialon the insulated section of track adjacent to the switchtongue onto which the trolley-car has come. It will be explained in this connection that as the car approaches the switch coming ontoan insulated track section which has electrical connection with the portion of the local or stationary controller adjacent the switch which causes the closing of the circuit from the feed-wire to and through the electromagnetic switch-tongue-operating device might cause a break or flickering of the current, which would cause after the local controllerswitch has been properly set a second action of such switch to either open the circuit or again close it for a reversal of the position of the controller-switch, resulting in a reversal of the position of the switch-tongue, and reference has been made in the production of the present improved device to its construction whereby any break or flickering in the current which might be occasioned by insulating matter on the insulated track-section cannot result in any misplacing of the controller-switch, with the consequent ill-timed effect upon the switch-tongue.

A further object of the invention is comprised in a combination, with the trackway, of an electric railway having adjacent branches running from opposite sides with switchtongues therefor and switch-tongue-operating electromagnetic devices for each switchtongue, two controllers for respective switchtongue-operating devices having solenoids or electromagnetic devices therein connected with the feed or trolley wire, one thereof having its coils of greater resistance than the other, the trackway just preceding the two switches having two successive rail-sections each of which is insulated from the other and both from the main trackway, so that the current through the car will when the car comes upon the said insulated track-sections operate the one of the controllers on which the coils therein are of the slightest resist,- ance; and for the carrying out of the objects hereinabove referred to and for the purpose of producing an apparatus which is reliable under all conditions and not subject to disarrangement after protracted use the invention consists in arrangements and combinations of electromagnetic and mechanical devices, as hereinafter described, and covered in and by the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front view of the controller, comprising the switch which establishes current in either of the two directions from the feed conductor th rough the switchtongueoperating electromagnetic devices. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, shown as within its housing. Fig. 3 is a front view of the same with the switchboard removed, the parts being shown as in a position to leave the circuit open, this view, furthermore, representing by the diagram the circuit connections both for the controller-switch and the electromagnetic switch-tongue-operating device. Fig. 4: is a front view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the parts as in their positions to close the circuit for the passage of the electrical current in one direction through the switch-tongue-operating device. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an improved arrangement of duplicated controllers understood as having their inner electromagnetic devices of different resistance used in conjunction with switch tongues for two branches and the tongue -operating electromagnetic devices. Fig. 6 is another diagram showing the mode of arranging an insulated portion of the feedwire adjacent the switch-tongue and its operating devices instead of utilizing an insulated section of the railway-track.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, A represents the railway-track having the branch 13*, for

which 0 is the switch-tongue, and just preceding the position of the switch-tongue is an insulated track-section D, bonded at 10.

E represents the feed-conduotor,being preferably the overhead trolley-wire or feed-Wire for the electric-railway system, and F connects the controller, comprising the switch for the current from the feed-Wire through said switch to the electromagnetic switchtongue-operating device connected at G.

The controller F comprises an electromagneticdevice-in the present instance represented as a solenoid a, for which I) is a movable bar or core, and the winding-wire of the solenoid has its ends, as shown by the wires 12 and 13, in electrical connection with the insulated railway-track sections D D and with the ground or return wire 14, so that the electrically-propelled trolley-car coming upon the insulated track-section will in a wellknown manner establish a circuit through the car and the aforementioned connections with the solenoid to energize the latter and cause it by the drawing of the core 1) to close the switch H, so that the feed-current direct from the trolley-wire E will pass in either of two directions, according to'the pair of contacts on which the double-arm switch H rests through the electromagnetic switch-operating device, which preferably comprises a plurality of solenoids, (indicated at 15 16,) so that the core-bar 17 thereof will have a thrust in either of two directions to open or close the switch-tongue O, as the case may be, through the connections 18 shown between the corebar 17 and said switch-tongue.

It will be perceived in Figs. 1 and 3 that the feed-wire E is by the conductor E and bondwire E electricallyconnected with thecoutactplates (1 and con the switchboard c, which is of slate or other suitable insulated material, and on this switchboard are the other contactplates d' and Q which may be joined by the double-arm switch memberH when properly actuated, the one d with the one (Z or the one 6 with the one 6 and the conductor c connects the contact 6 with the one end of the solenoid device at G, while the conductor d connects the contact (1 into the other end of the solenoid device G.

The double-arm switch H is normally in the open position shown in Fig. 1, and this arm is represented by the dotted line H in Figs. 3 and 4E.

The switch is carried, suitably insulated, on the hub g of a wheel h, which is mounted for a rotational movement on a suitable fixture and is subject to the action of a pawl 70, pivotally mounted on a frame J, which is supported by the bracket-arm 2', connected to and extended laterally from the core-bar b of the solenoid a, so that said frame and pawl have a bodily movement in an upward direction when the solenoid becomes active and the core therein is upwardly thrust. The said pawl it, which is pivoted at on the vertical movable frame J, has its lower portion ITO made in the form of a hook k to engage on the upward movement of the pawl one of the four pins g on the hub of the wheel 71, and the said pawl has on an offset arm thereof the stud or pin 1 which also in the upward movement of the pawl, before the hook k engages one of the pins g engages one of the edgewise-located teeth h of the wheel h, exertin g a leverage action to facilitate the starting of the wheel around, so that the pawlhook, which acts on one of the pins nearer the axis of the wheel, will be assisted in its wheelrotating operation by the initial starting performed by the force exerted at the edge of the wheel. The pawl is so arranged on the frame and has such length and disposition relatively to the pins and teeth of the wheel 7?, that there is considerable lost motion in the rising movement before the pawl operates to turn the wheel and close the switch H on either of the opposing pair of contacts d or e, the. The spring 7& is applied on an extended arm of the pawl, so as to keep it swung to its proper working position relatively to the wheel h, and yet to permit it to yield laterally to have its stud g pass the outer tooth of the wheel when the pawl descends with the frame after the current has been discontinued through the solenoid.

As seen in Fig. 4, when the pawl it reaches its upper position to set this switch H closed by turning the wheel h the hook k then in engagement with the pin 9 prevents any undue motion by momentum of the wheel to cause the switch to overthrow or swing beyond the contacts on the switchboard. In addition to the cooperation of the pawl with the pins and teeth of the said wheel 72 on the upward motion of the frame J the membersj andj are provided on the frame, which in the up ward movement of the solenoid bar and frame ascend, as shown in Fig. 4c, considerably above the right-hand tooth 7L2 of the wheel and above the pin thereof, so that there may be a lost motion 1n the descent of these parts before they contact, first the part j with the righthand tooth of the wheel and soon thereafter the partj with the pin, it being here mentioned that the member j, working against the tooth at the edge of the wheel and having the greater leverage, facilitates the rotation of the wheel to the extent of a quarter-turn to place the switch ll again in the open position.

Vhen the solenoid is energized, its action to elevate the frame and through the pawl to turn the wheel to place the switch l-l, so as to bridge two of the contacts to establish a current through the electromagnetic car-switchoperating devices is instantaneous; but provisions are made whereby the descent of the solenoid and the frame J (which latter in its descent finally acts on the wheel h, which carries the switch 11 to so further turn these parts that the switch is opened and the maintained current on the car-switch-operating device terminated) is retarded or against a certain mechanical resistance device, which by its degree of resistance, as predetermined, will govern or regulate the time required between the commencement of the descent of the frame and the action of said frame and its members j upon the wheel 71 to throw open the switch.

It will be perceived that in the device below the solenoid C6 is a wheel L internally constructed, as hereinafter described, which.

wheel is loosely mounted to rotate in a vertical plane on a fixed arbor m. Also loose about the arbor m is a sleeve n, separate from the said wheel L, the same having a disk n carrying a spring-pawl 01 which engages the inner surface of the rim of the wheel to cause the wheel to rotate when the sleeve is rotated in one direction, and yet to permit the sleeve and pawl to move without effect on the wheel in'the other direction. The sleeve n has at its end opposite the disk and pawl a pinion 0, which meshes into the teeth of a sector-gear p, which is pivoted at p on a fixed bracket. On the face of the sector-gear p is a part q, pivoted at g and having a hook-shaped upper end P and a shoulder g located at a considerable distance below the hook 1 this pivoted part having capability for a degree of swinging motion, as limited by the stop-pin g the spring q exerting a crowding action to force the said part q to the leftward, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4:. It will be pointed out that the sector is provided with an arm or extension p which has a stud 19 which may assume a position, as seen in Fig. 4:, of contact under and against the bracket t',which connects the solenoid-core and vertical movable frame J, and which bracket is to all intents and purposes to be regarded as a part of the frame.

The frame J is provided at its lower central part with a stud 3, adapted in the upward movement of the frame to contact against and engage the hook q at the upper extremity of the aforesaid pivoted part (1, which is carried on the face of the sector-gear.

The wheel L is constructed hollow and with a series of partitions t 6, having apertures t therethrough to establish communication from the one chamber to the next, and aquantity of mercury (indicated at i Fig. 3) is provided in the lower part of the wheel.

Now when the solenoid-core b rises and carries with it the aforementioned stud s the latter, 3, engages in the hookq of the pivoted part q and draws said part upwardly, and with it the sector, to the position shown in Fig. 4E, whereupon the lever extension 19 of the sector has a motion to overtake the part '2 of the frame, so that its stud p is in contact thereunder, and the incidental rotation of the pinion 0 and its disk and pawl 07, are without effect to turn the drag-wheel L, the pawl slipping around on the inner surface of the wheel-rim idly, and now upon the discontinuance of the current in the solenoid a, whereupon the core and frame J are free to ICC V 7 r V,

descend, such descent will for a part of the extent of the downward movement be against a variable resistance, which is present by reason of the peculiar manner of engagement between the pawl and said drag-wheel through the intermediate connections described-that is to say, at first the descent of the frame is against the pin 19 at the extremity of the lever p and the comparatively long leverage of such lever 29 causes a swinging of the sector and rotation of the pinion-provided sleeve and through the engaging pawl 02 a rotational movement of the drag-wheel subject to the retarding action of the latter, and after a comparatively short interval the stud s of the frame becomes engaged against the shoulder q of the part (1 on the face of the sector, so that the forcing action against the sector is at a leverage-point nearer the sectorfulcrum p and the power against the resistance of the drag-wheel lessened, so that the descent will be correspondingly slowed for a further period until such time as the frame members j 3' have approached but not come in contact with the edge tooth h and the pin g ofthe switch-carrying wheel h, and at about this time of approach of the said parts the pivoted part g has so far bodily swung to the rightward as incidental to the swinging motion of the sector that the shoulder g has passed out from its position of engagement with the aforementioned frame-stud s, leaving now no impediment to the rapid descent of the frame as augmented by the weight of the solenoid-core, and the now rapid final descent of the frame forces the wheel it around to bring the switch I-I into its open position.

It will be here pointed out that the one of the pins g next to the'rear of the one which is being forced downward by the frame memberj serves as a limiting-stop to prevent an undue extent of rotation of the wheel h and switch H by coming against the edge of the depending memberj as indicated in Fig. 3, wherein the vertically movable parts are shown as in their extreme lower position.

It will be mentioned that after the frame J has been elevated and the switch H moved to close the circuitas, for instance, as indicated by the dotted line in, Fig. 4 or in another instance as by bridging the contacts at and d -but a comparative short downward movement of the frame and a comparative short time therefor are required before the frame and hook-pawl is will have descended to positions of engagement below the left hand Wheel-tooth k and theleft-hand pin 9 so that if occasion requires the establishment of the current may be quickly repeatedly performed to further carry around the switch H to change the course of the current and reverse the position of the car-switch, and yet after, through the wilful actuation of the devices in the controller, the car-switch has been properly set it will be assured that the current will be maintained from'the feed-wire through the car-switch electromagnetic operating device G for an interval sufficient to assure after the switch has been set the passage of the rear wheel of the car past the switchtonguethat is, the interval will be from the time the switch H is set by the upward movement of the solenoid-core and frame J until the frame has descended against the retarding action of the drag-wheel as described to that extent that it is freed from such retarding action and has the impulsive motion on the wheel h to turn it to set the switch H and in practice as we have constructed and used the apparatus by determining the quantity of mercury supplied in the wheel L and the size of the apertures through the partitions 25 the interval during which the switch remains closed is about eighteen seconds; but this interval may be varied as circumstances may require or preference dictate.

It will be apparent from the illustrations and descriptions that to all intents and purposes the frame J is to be considered as a part of the core-bar ot the solenoid, it having by the bracketi connection as one therewith, and while the solenoid and its core-bar are employed as the preferred species of the electromagnet other forms of electromagnet may be employed in the corresponding situation as the equivalent thereof, and it will be appreciated that after the controller is actuated to elevate the pawl to close the switch and establish the switch-tongue-operating circuit the time thereafter and before the engagement members g and k have descended just below the teeth 9 and 71 of the wheel h is usually of an interval to permit the car or front wheels thereof to pass the switch, and

in this interval any flickering of the current which might cause successive impulses to the solenoid-core would be Without effect to shift the switch, because the switch cannot be again shifted until the said engagement members of the pawl have descended to positions below the adjacent engagement members of the switch-carrying wheel.

We wish it to be understood that we may make various and suitable changes in the details of construction and arrangements of the parts comprised in the controller without departing from our invention, and the controller may be employed in conjunction with certain arrangements which may be somewhat modified from the one shown in Fig. 3, as, for instance, in Fig. 6, instead of having a section of the track insulated the feed-wire E may have a metallic covering D which is insulated from the feed-wire, but connected with the circuit-wires 12 and 13 through the solenoid of the controller F, dispensing with the insulated track-section D, so that when the car comes upon the metallic section D which is insulated from the feed-Wire, the current must pass through the conductors 12 and 13 and the controller to establish the circuit through the electromagnetic switchtongue-operating device D; and, again, we may employ two controllers in conjunction with two adjacent railway-switch-tongue-opcrating devices, as shown in Fig.5, it being understood that the controller E has the coil of its solenoid therein of greater resistance than the coil of the solenoid in the controller E the controller E being comprised in the electric circuit in which the first insulated railsection D is connected, while the solenoid of the other controller, which is of the lesser resistance, is comprised in the circuit connections for the second insulated track-section D, the arrangements and connections of the respective controllers with the track-section circuits for governing the circuits for the respective switch-tongue-operating devices being substantially the same as described in connection with the arrangements shown in Fig. 3, and it will be explained that here the motorman may assure that the respective positions of the switches may be such as to enable him to proceed either on the straight track or either branch, as he may desire. For instance, if the first switch'is closed and he wishes it to remain closed he may come onto the insulated track-section by the momentum of the car having cut out the car-circuit and on reaching the second insulated section D and desiring to take the branch he may through the current of the car eifect a proper setting of the second switch-tongue, or if such tongue is already properly set he may run thereto on momentum; but the peculiarity of the arrangement indicated in the diagram Fig. 5 is such that however the presence of the front wheels of the car on the first tracksection D may affect the first switch the motorman may by dropping and taking up the current assure that the first switch will not change the course of the car, and when the front wheels of the car come onto the second tracksection D the motorman has then the second switch-ton gu e-operatin g means subject to his will or disposition to be shifted or left as first found, for the reason that as soon as the front wheels come onto the second insulated tracksection D the current through the car will pass through the controller of the lesser resistance irrespective of whether the rear wheels of the car are on the first track-section D or not, and the motorman may While the front wheels are on the track-section D, if the second switch should be shifted to change the course of the car otherwise than as desired, instantaneously effect a reshiftiug of the circuit-switch.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a railway switchtongue, an electromagnetic device for throwing the tongue, an electric-circuit conductor leading from a feed-wire to a return-wire and comprising, in its circuit, the coils of said electromagnetic tongue-operating device and also comprising in the circuit an electric-circuit switch; and an electromagnetic device for operating said circuit-switch, a second electric-circuit conductor separate from the first-named circuit-conductor comprising the coils of the electromagnetic circuit-switch-opcrating device, and means, operative on the termination of the current through the second-named circuit and through the circuitswitch-operatin g device, for shifting said circuit-switch, having in connection therewith means of yielding resistance to the movement of the switch-shifting means, whereby the action of the switch-shifting means may be during an extended interval as desired, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a railway switchtongue, an insulated track-rail section and a return-conductor connected with said trackrail section, an electromagnetic device for throwing the tongue, an electric-circuit conductor leading from a feed-wire to a returnwire and comprising, in its circuit, the coils of said electromagnetic tongue-operating device, and also comprising in the circuit an electric-circuit switch, a second electric-circuit conductor separate from the first-named circuit-conductor comprising the coils of the electromagnetic circuit-switch-operating device, and means, operative on the termination of the current through the second-named circuit and through the circuit-switch-operating device, for shifting said circuit-switch, having in connection therewith, means of yielding resistance to the movement of the switch-shifting means, whereby the action of the switch-shifting means may be during an extended interval as desired, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of a railway switchtongue,an electromagnetic device for throwing the tongue, an electric-circuit conductor leading from a feed-wire to a return-wire and comprising, in its circuit, the coils of said electromagnetic tongue-operating device and also having provided in the said circuit a movable opening and closing circuit-switch, an electromagnetic device for operating said circuit-switch consisting of a solenoid, its movable core, and a device movable by, and in unison with, the core for setting the circuitswitch, a second electric-circuit conductor separate from the first-named circuit-conductor comprising the coils of the electromagnetic circuit-switch-operating device, and means, operative on the termination of the current through the second-named circuit and through the circuit-switch-operatin g solenoid for shifting said circuit-switch, having in connection therewith means of yielding resistance to the movement of the switch shifting means, whereby the action of the switch shifting means may be during an interval as desired, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a switch-controller, a plurality of contacts and electric conductors connected to opposite ones of said contacts, and a switch shiftable to join said contacts and to leave open the circuit-conduit between them, asolenoid with the coil of whichcurrent-conductors are connected, and the movable core for the solenoid, a device operated by the solenoid and operative upon the switch to move it, means operative by gravitation upon the cessation of the solenoid-current, to again move the switch, and a means of yielding resistance opposed to the action of the gravity switchoperating means whereby the action of said last-named means may be extended in duration.

5. In combination,arailwayswitch-tongue,

a pluralized solenoid and a reversely-acting core therefor connected to the switch-tongue, a plurality of contacts and electric conductors connected to opposite ones of said contacts, and conductors leading from separate ones of said contacts to the coils of the pluralized solenoid, aswitch shiftable tojoin said contacts and to leave open the connection between them, a solenoid with the coil of which current-conductors are connected, and the movable core for the solenoid, a device operated by the solenoid and operative upon the switch to move it, means operative by gravitation upon the cessation of the solenoid-current, to again move the switch, and means of yielding resistance opposed to the action of the gravity-switch-operating means whereby the action of said last-named means may be extended in duration for the purpose set forth.

6. In a controller for a switch apparatus of the character described, a plurality of contacts and electric conductors connected to opposite ones of said contacts, and a switch for joining opposite pairs of said contacts,a wheel on which said switch is mounted, having a series of engagement members, a solenoidcoil and a movable solenoid-core, a pawlcarried by the core and adapted on the thrust thereof to engage a member of said wheel to change the position of the switch, and a part also carried by the core, operative to work against said wheel on the reverse movement of the core to again change the position of the switch.

7. In a controller for a switch apparatus of the character described, a plurality of contacts and electric conductors connected to opposite ones of said contacts, and a switch for joining opposite pairs of said contacts, a wheel on which said switch is mounted, having a series of engagement members, a solenoid. coil and a movable solenoid-core, a pawlcarried by the core and adapted on the thrust thereof to engage a member of said wheel to change the position of the switch, and a part also carried by the core, operative to work against said wheel on the reverse movement of the core to again change the position of the switch, and a means of yielding resistance opposed to the means of the last-named wheelengaging part.

8. In a controller for a switch apparatus of the character described, a plurality of contacts and electric conductors connected to opposite ones of said contacts, and a switch-bar for joining opposite pairs of said contacts, a wheel on which said switch is mounted,,having two series of engagement members, those of one series being located farther from the axis than the other, a solenoid-coil and a movable solenoid-core, a means carried by the core and adapted on the thrust thereof to engage said wheel to change the position of the switch and two separate parts also carried by the core, operative on the reverse movement of the core to engage by the one part an outer engagement member of the wheel,and slightly thereafter, by the other partan inner engagement member, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a controller for a switch apparatus, of the character described, a plurality of contacts and a switch for joining opposite pairs of said contacts, a wheel on which said switch is mounted having a circularly-arranged series of pins, a solenoid-coil and the movable solenoid core-bar,a pawl carried by the corebar having a hook 7& and arranged on the thrust of the bar to engage one of said pins and at the termination of its motion to serve by one edge of the opening in the hook as a stop to limit for the engaged pin to prevent undue rotational movement of the wheel and switch.

10. In a controller for a switch apparatus of the character described, a plurality of contacts and electric conductors connected to opposite ones of said contacts, and a switch for joining opposite pairs of said contacts, a wheel on which said switch is mounted having a series of teeth at its outer part and a series of teeth nearer its axis, a solenoid-coil and the movable solenoid-core, a pawl carried by the core and having separate members to engage the teeth of said wheel arranged the one to engage an outlying tooth before the other assumes engagement with an inwardlylocated tooth for the purpose set forth.

11. In a controller for a switch apparatus of the character described, a plurality of contacts and electric conductors connected to opposite ones of said contacts, and a switch for joining opposite pairs of said contacts, a wheel on which said switch is mounted, a solenoid-coil and its movable core, a device car ried by the core and adapted to turn said wheel on the thrust of the core, and having a device adapted to turn said wheel on the reverse motion of the core, a resistance part relatively to which the solenoid-core is unobstructed in its working thrust, but against which it acts in a portion of its return movement, and means for displacing said resistance part from obstructing the final portion of the return movement of the core.

12. In a controller for a switch apparatus of the character described, a plurality of contacts and a switch for making and breaking connection therewith, an electromagnetic operating device for said switch comprising a solenoid and its movable core or an equivalent as an electromagnet and its armature, a

resistance-wheel relatively to which the core is movable unobstructedly and a medium of connection between the core and said wheel which is established therebetween on the return movement of the core.

13. In a controller for a switch apparatus of the character described, in combination the switch H and an electromagnetic device for closing and opening said switch, comprising the solenoid and its movable core, the latter carrying a support for the stud s, the resistance-wheel L, a sector-gear and a pinion a adapted to rotate in one direction freely relatively to the wheel and to have on its reverse rotation a propelling engagement with said wheel, a part on said sector, with which the stud s engages to swing the sector on the working stroke of the solenoid-core, and another part on said sector with which the said stud engages on a portion of the return movement of the core, whereby such portion of the return movement through said connections is against the resistance of said wheel, propelled thereby for the purpose set forth.

14. In a controller for a switch apparatus of the character described, in combination, the switch H and an electromagnetic device for closing and opening said switch, comprising the solenoid and its movable core, the latter carrying a support having the stud s, the resistance-wheel L, a sector-gear and a pinion to adapted to rotate in one direction freely relatively to the wheel and to have on its reverse rotation a propelling engagement with said wheel, a part q pivoted on said sector having the hook which the stud s engages to swing the sectoron the working stroke of the solenoid-core, and said part q having a shoulder q with which the said stud engages on a portion of the return movement of the core, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

15. In a switch apparatus of the character described, in combination, the switch H and an electromagnetic device for closing and opening same, comprising a solenoid and its movable core, the latter carrying a support having the studs, the resistance-wheel L, a sector-gear and a pinion which has movable at one end therewith a pawl adapted to move freely relatively to the wheel in one direction but to have a rotating engagement therewith in the other direction, a part on said sector with which the stud s engages to swing the sector without effect on the wheel on the working stroke of the solenoid-core, and another part on said sector with which the said stud engages on the portion of the return movement of the core, for the purpose set forth.

16. In a switch apparatus of the character described, in combination, a plurality of contacts and the switch H, for opening and closing connection between pairs thereof, the wheel 77, by which said switch is carried, having engagement members, a solenoid and its movable core, which carries a support having thereon devices for cooperating with said engagement members of the switch-carrying wheel on both the working and return movements of the core for imparting successive rotational movements to the switch-carrying wheel, and an engagement member s on said support, a resistance-wheel, a pinion freely rotatable relatively to the wheel in one direction and having driving connection with the wheel upon its reverse rotation, and the sector-gear having thereon the pivoted part q provided wit-h the hook g and the shoulder q, with which the engagement members cooperates in both its movements in unison with the core.

17. In a switch apparatus of the character described, in combination, a plurality of contacts and the switch H, for opening and closing connection between pairs thereof, the wheel h by which said switch is carried having marginal teeth and inwardly-located pins, a solenoidand its movable core which carries a support J having the pawl with the stud g and the hook 7.0 thereon, and the depending partsj andj and having the engagement member s, a resistance-wheel, a pinion freely rotatable relatively to the wheel in one direction and having driving connection with the wheel upon its reverse rotation, and the sector-gear having thereon the pivoted part (1 provided with the hook g and the shoulder with which the engagement member 5 cooperates in both its movements in unison with the core, substantially as described.

18. In combination, a plurality of contacts, a switch, a solenoid and its core, switch-actuating device carried by the core, a resistance device comprising a hollow wheel having partitions therein, and apertures connecting the spaces between the partitions, a quantity of coalescent material in the hollow wheel, and a medium of connection between the core and said wheel whereby'the core is movable in one direction unobstructed by the wheel, and against the yielding resistance of said wheel in the other direction.

19. In a switch apparatus of the character described, in combination, the switch-carry ing wheel h, a solenoid and its movable core which carries a support having thereon a device for cooperating with said switch-carrying wheel on both the working and return movements of the core and an engagement member s on said support, a resistance-wheel, a pinion freely rotatable relatively to the wheel in one direction and having driving connection with the wheel upon its reverse rotation, and the sector-gear, provided with the extension 19 adapted to cooperate with an extension of the solenoid-core, having the pivotedpartq provided with the hook g and. the shoulder q, with which the engagement member scooperates in both its movements in unison with the core, for the purposes set forth.

20. In a railway-switch-operating apparatus, in combination, two railway switchtongues, two electromagnetic operating devices respectively therefor, comprised in circuits connected With the feed-Wire, two controllers having electromagnetic devices for operating switches for the said circuits, comprising the sWitch-tongue-operating devices, the coil in the electromagnetic device of one controller being of less resistance than Ihe coil in the other, and sectional conductors comprised in the circuits through said controller electromagnetic devices, Which areinsulated from each other, for the purpose set 10 forth.

Signed by us at Springfield in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHAS. WV. SQUIRES. JAMES B. SQUIRES. Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLoWs, ANNIE V. LEAHY. 

